1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel-cell-powered four-wheel automobile having a chassis with a rectangular shape as viewed in plan with four wheels positioned at respective four corners thereof, a riding seat disposed substantially centrally on the chassis, a flat floor mounted on the chassis in front of the riding seat, and an electric motor for moving the four-wheel automobile.
2. Description of the Background Art
One fuel-cell-powered four-wheel automobile is known from Japanese patent Laid-open No. Hei 3-109126 entitled xe2x80x9cFuel-cell electric automobilexe2x80x9d. According to FIG. 1 of the above publication, the disclosed arrangement is an electric automobile having a fuel cell 13 (the reference numeral is from the publication) as an energy source, which is disposed below a central region of a chassis 2.
To use the fuel cell 13, there are required a fuel tank for storing methanol, a reforming unit for generating hydrogen, and a secondary battery for storing generated electricity, in addition to the fuel cell 13, as described later on. The layout of the fuel cell 13, the reforming unit, and the secondary battery is an important concern in installing them on a four-wheel automobile. One example of a fuel cell system based on the principles of electric power generation by a fuel cell will be described below.
FIGS. 6A and 6B are views illustrative of the principles of electric power generation by a fuel cell. FIG. 6A shows the principles of an electrolysis of water, and FIG. 6B shows the principles of electric power generation by a fuel cell.
In FIG. 6A, water (H2O) with an electrolyte such as sulfuric acid (H2SO4) dissolved therein is placed in a water tank 101, and electrodes 102, 103 of platinum or the like are put in the water tank 101. The electrodes 102, 103 are covered with respective cases 104, 105, and a D.C. power supply 106 is connected between the electrodes 102, 103. According to the well known principles of an electrolysis of water, an oxygen gas (O2) is generated at the electrode 103 which serves as a negative electrode, and a hydrogen gas (H2) is generated at the electrode 102 which serves as a positive electrode. The arrows (exe2x88x92) indicate a flow of charges, and the arrows (H+) indicate a flow of hydrogen ions.
In FIG. 6B, which shows a process that is a reversal of the process shown in FIG. 6A, an oxygen gas (O2) is placed in one case 104, and a hydrogen gas (H2) is placed in the other case 105, and a load 107 is connected between the electrodes 102, 103. When the oxygen gas (O2) and the hydrogen gas (H2) are subjected to an electrochemical reaction in water (H2O) with an electrolyte such as sulfuric acid (H2SO4) dissolved therein, a current flows through the load 107. The oxygen gas (O2) and the hydrogen gas (H2) are combined into water (H2O).
The reversal of the electrolysis of water shown in FIG. 6A represents the principles of electric power generation by a fuel cell. A fuel cell system will be described below.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a fuel cell system by way of example. A fuel cell system 110 comprises a fuel tank 111 for storing methanol, a reforming unit 112 for generating hydrogen from methanol and water, a fuel cell 113 for causing an electrochemical reaction of hydrogen generated by the reforming unit 112 and oxygen in air, a first pump 115 for delivering air in the atmosphere through an air cleaner 114 into the fuel cell 113, a second pump 116 for delivering hydrogen from the reforming unit 112 into the fuel cell 113, a catalyzer (catalyst) 117 for receiving a water vapor discharged from the fuel cell 113 and a carbon dioxide gas produced by the reforming unit 112 and fed through the fuel cell 113 and reducing the amount of the carbon dioxide gas, a water tank 118 for receiving water discharged from the catalyzer 117, a secondary battery 119 for storing electricity generated by the fuel cell 113, and a motor 122 connected to the secondary battery 119 through a controller 121. The secondary battery 119 also stores electricity generated by the motor 122.
In FIG. 7, the blank arrow (CH3OH) represents a flow of methanol, the blank arrow (H2) a flow of hydrogen gas, the blank arrow (O2) a flow of oxygen gas, the blank arrow (H2O+CO2) a flow of water vapor and carbon dioxide gas, and the blank arrow (H2O) a flow of water.
As described above, to the fuel cell 113 as an energy source of a four-wheel automobile (not shown), the fuel tank 111 for storing methanol, the reforming unit 112 for generating hydrogen, and the secondary battery 119 for storing electricity generated by the fuel cell 113 are required. For installing the fuel tank 111, the reforming unit 112, and the fuel cell 113 on the four-wheel automobile, it is necessary to take into account weight balancing, maintenance services, design details or the like, and a variety of layout proposals need to be analyzed for the fuel cell system 110.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a technology for optimally placing a fuel cell, a reforming unit, or a secondary battery in installing a fuel cell on a four-wheel automobile.
To achieve the above object, a fuel-cell-powered four-wheel automobile has a chassis which is of a rectangular shape as viewed in plan with four wheels positioned at respective four corners thereof, a riding seat disposed substantially centrally on the chassis, a flat floor mounted on the chassis in front of the riding seat, and an electric motor for moving the four-wheel automobile. A tank is disposed beneath the floor for storing methanol and water. A reforming unit is disposed beneath the floor for generating hydrogen from methanol and water supplied from the tank. A fuel cell is disposed beneath the floor for generating electricity from an electrochemical reaction of hydrogen generated by the reforming unit and oxygen in air. Finally, a secondary battery is disposed beneath the floor for storing electricity generated by the fuel cell.
Methanol and water are supplied from the tank to the reforming unit, which generates hydrogen from the methanol and the water. The generated hydrogen is supplied to the fuel cell, which generates electricity. The generated electricity is supplied to the electric motor to rotate the electric motor, thus moving the four-wheel automobile.
Since the tank, the reforming unit, the fuel cell, and the secondary battery are disposed beneath the floor, mechanisms for generating electricity from air, methanol, and water are centralized. As a result, a function to generate electricity from air, methanol, and water can be accommodated in one unit, and the components including the tank, the reforming unit, the fuel cell, and the secondary battery can be made compact.
The fuel-cell-powered four-wheel automobile is characterized in that the fuel cell and the electric motor are disposed respectively on the left and right sides or the right and left sides of a central line which divides the chassis into left and right portions.
It is important to keep the weight of the chassis of the four-wheel automobile in balance. The weight of the chassis is kept in good balance by positioning the fuel cell and the electric motor respectively on the left and right sides or the right and left sides of the central line which divides the chassis into the left and right portions.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.